Your backbone is perhaps the most essential structure in your body, hence it is critical to take care of it. Your vertebral column get loads of compression from everyday activities, gravity and general life. Plus the added compression you give it with strength training and you better start decompressing it.

Spine health is very important, and I’m willing to bet that the majority of you have backache at this time. I myself hurt my lower back roughly a year ago, and this is one of the methods I enjoyed to take it back to 99% (even at times becomes tight or aching). I’ll do an extensive post on why you have backache and how to resolve it later on, however read this right now.

What you want to do is follow a trouble-free decompression technique that helps to keep your backbone strong and mobile by helping it decompress to its original length.

Here’s all you need to know…

How To Perform Spine Decompressions

You’ll need a pull-up bar to perform your decompressions. As soon as you have that piece of equipment, there’s two ways to do this:

1. Get Gravity Boots: This is the method that I use. These are boots that you strap onto your ankles and have hooks on them so you can hang upside down from your pullup bar safely and allow your spine to decompress. I use Teeter Hang Ups Gravity Boots. An added bonus is that with these boots I can do inverted sit ups for my abs and other cool “upside down” exercises.

2. Hang With Your Hands: This is simple. Basically hang from your pull-up bar and loosen all your muscles-hold it for as long as possible. The longer you hang the better shoot for no less than 5 minutes and build up from there. You most likely can’t hang that long, so here’s

How To Hang Longer With Your Hands

The longer you hang the better, yet your grip will almost certainly give out. Even though I would never advise using lifting straps for your typical lifting, I recommend them for decompressions for it will allow you to hold longer. Go for nylon-type lifting straps or lifting hook straps as they’re more durable.

How To Relax Your Muscles So Your Spine Decompresses

Your muscles need to be relaxed in order for your spine to decompress (staying tight won’t help). Here’s what to do whether you’re using the gravity boots method or the hanging from your hands method:

* Hang off the pull-up bar

* Take a deep breath and hold it

* Tighten up your whole body (focus on abs, glutes and make fists)

* Keep your whole body tight for 5 secs

* Give it all off, your breath and the whole stiffness. Take it easy

When you do this you’ll have a feeling your whole body relaxing and you’ll probably “drop” down a little. You’ll most likely sense your back decompressing, remarkably the first few times.

How You Regular Have To Decompress

Every day is great. Though I have to admit that I don’t do it day by day always. But you certainly should aim to do it as much as possible. If you get tired hanging upside down you can read a book or something. It’s great to do these right after your strength training sessions, right after your settle down-think of it as a part of your cooldown.

Related Articles